Wilma - Biggest storm ever

[MrFilthyIke]

Each person who chooses to stay when they could leave is one more person the relief teams have to deal with - unless you really have the resources to make a difference, you do more harm by making yourself one more on the list of folks that they will have to help.

But with experience, and following what the NHC says, you can ride out a hurricane and not be a hassle (as long as you leave the coast). However, even after all the storms no body listens to advice. Then people get hurt.

Edena, just get the heck away from the coast. Stay inland.

We'll be getting like 50-75 mph winds here in Orlando, but I'm not worried. But we've also prepared, stocked up, moved stuff away from windows, etc.

Good luck!

Shane
Life-long Floridian

 

[Umbran]

But with experience, and following what the NHC says, you can ride out a hurricane and not be a hassle (as long as you leave the coast).

Edena suggests he's in a place with life-threatening conditions. Experience should show that, if one is in such an area, the best preparation shoud to be out of it, no?

We'll be getting like 50-75 mph winds here in Orlando, but I'm not worried. But we've also prepared, stocked up, moved stuff away from windows, etc.

Well, that's more tropical storm force than hurricane force. We get as bad up in New England in the occasional winter storm. As you say, with preparation, you can sit it out, because it won't bring a storm surge, or take your house down in and of itself. Edena suggested rather worse conditions, and thus my "get out of the way" advice.

 

[Dagger75]

Yes, I am still at home. I am staying here. There are those here who will not leave, and who will protect them if I am gone?

This decision may cost me my life.

Edena_of_Neith

First Hurricane? If you just bought your house and it is older than a year old it survived about 4 hurricanes last year. If it was built this year then it had to be built to some super tough hurricane codes.

As for dying in a hurricane. What the news doesn't tell you is how these people die. The big causes of death are Electricution from hooking up a portable generator or hitting a power line when cleaning up the yard. Carbon Monoxide poisoning. People grill in the house and the same gasoline generator in the house. Also a lot people get inujured when the storm is over from broken glass and nails. Falling off the roof has also cause some deaths.
Now that doen't mean all can be peachy. Stay away from the windows, do not crack one open because you heard about the air pressure. Your house is not an airtight spaceship and all that does is let the wind and rain in. When the eye hits don't run outside cause you can see the sun and there is no wind. Do emergency repairs, get rid of that debies that was blowing around.

Florida is not like New Orleans with regards to flooding. Yeah you may have water but it drains into the ocean. We are not below sea level. At sea level and BELOW sea level are very different.

But if you can see the Ocean from your house, then WTF are still doing there. Storm Surge; you will soon learn what that is.

 

[Ankh-Morpork Guard]

First Hurricane?

That was my impresssion, too. Dagger pretty much nailed things perfectly. Hurricanes are bad, yes, but they really aren't as bad as some people try to make them out of be. Maybe I've just been through enough so I just don't have a clear perspective, but what the news places do with hurricanes is just annoying to me. Really, in the end its just rain and wind. Do the usual thing of staying away from windows and such and a hurricane can be surprisingly easy to ride out.

Ironically, I find that I sleep extremely well when they pass through...but I've always been a bit odd when it comes to that kind of thing.

But if you can see the Ocean from your house, then WTF are still doing there. Storm Surge; you will soon learn what that is.

Of course, that should be repeated if you ARE on the coast. That's the one place where its very, very stupid to stay when a hurricane hits here in Florida.

Oh, and from the looks of it, this thing's only a Cat 2 now.

 

[DaveMage]

Looks like my mother-in-law most-likely lost her home down in Davie, FL (severely damaged roof)...

But fortunately, she was not there at the time.

Hope all folks south of Orlando are ok. Property can be replaced.

 

[IronWolf]

The last word from my Grandparents was that the power had been out and they rode out 80mph winds at their home. They were just south of Ft. Myers, but not directly on the coast.

 

[Crothian]

they rode out 80mph winds

Not literally I hope

 

[Jdvn1]

I hope you guys are safe!

 

[Edena_of_Neith]

I am back, and I am ok.
I stayed put out of loyalty to certain Significant Others who refused to leave. And no amount of persuasion on my part would convince them to leave.

Fortunately, we are 5 miles inland.
Also, more fortunately, we were hit by only the fringe of the hurricane, not it's core (much less it's right front quadrant.)
So my home, the Englewood area, and Charlotte County, were spared.
All we received was the most terrifying storm I've ever seen, with sustained winds of 30 miles per hour and up, and gusts to EIGHTY miles per hour, for 5 straight hours. Gale force winds proceeded this by 8 hours, and lasted 12 hours afterwards.

Ever see power poles swaying in the wind (not power lines, but power poles) ?
Ever see small trees lean clear over to the ground, then whip back and forth like a child was thrashing them?
Ever see rain so hard it produced a whiteout?
Ever be so scared shitless you wished you were in a hole in the ground? (There are no basements in Florida.)

That is what the fringe of the hurricane was like.

Down in Lee and Collier County, it was much worse, obviously. Over on the East Coast, and down in the Keys, it caused major damage.
Amazingly, though, there was only minor flooding and little tree damage here in Englewood. Surprising, since if a storm of that ferocity had hit in MICHIGAN, there would have been massive damage to trees and homes, and severe flooding.

Edena_of_Neith

EDIT: Ever been through a car wash, and hear the sound of the water and then wind furiously pummeling your car or truck? That is what it sounded like, as it beat against the hurricane shutters and shook my house.

 

[IronWolf]

Not literally I hope

Nope!